More than 300 Met officers and staff reveal they are Freemasons or in other ‘hierarchical’ societies

Figure emerges as judge considers legal challenge to Scotland Yard policy forcing police to declare affiliation to semi-secret organisation

More than 300 Metropolitan police officers and staff have obeyed an order to tell their bosses if they are members of hierarchical organisations such as the Freemasons, the high court has heard.

Britain's largest force announced the policy last month and it has met fierce opposition from bodies representing Masons. They have taken legal action to seek an injunction, claiming it amounts to religious discrimination and breaches human rights laws.